Elapsed event recorder

ABSTRACT

An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events and stamping on a record card indicia representing the accumulated event count. The recorder has a count accumulating register mounted within a housing and including a set of rotary marking wheels which are driven in stepwise rotation like odometer wheels in response to the successive events being recorded in such away that the wheels accumulate the event count. The recorder is operable at random intervals to engage the marking wheels with the record card in such a way as to stamp on the card indicia representing the event count currently accumulated in the register. Return of the marking wheels to their normal recording position resets the wheels to zero to condition the register for the next recording cycle.

United States Patent [1 1 Kessler Feb. 11, 1975 ELAPSED EVENT RECORDER Primary Examiner-Gareth D. Shaw Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Gnusa [76] Inventor. az i fgfi ggg Maryknon' Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Boniard I. Brown [22] Filed: Nov. 6, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 304,277

An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of Relaed Application Data reoccurring events and stamping on a record card in- [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 075,375, Sept. 25. dicia representing the accumulated event count. The 1970, abandonedrecorder has a count accumulating register mounted within a housing and including a set of rotary marking Cl. 235/92 EA, 235/92 1 235/92 C wheels which are driven in stepwise rotation like "It. Cl- .t odometer wheels in response to the uccessive events 0' Search EA, C being recorded in such away that the wheels accumulate the event count. The recorder is operable at ranl References cued dom intervals to engage the marking wheels with the UNITED STATES PATENTS record card in such a way as to stamp on the card in- 1632.995 7H954 Carey 235/92 EA dicia representing the event count currently accumu- 2531033 1954 Hennessyw 235/92 EA lated in the register. Return of the marking wheels to 3.118.721 1/1964 Exline 235/92 EA their normal recording position resets the wheels to 3.429.258 2/1969 Baranoff 235/92 EA zero to condition the register for the next recording 3.624362 ll/l97l Kelch A 235/92 C y l 363L506 12/1971 Nielsen 235/92 C 27 Claims, 43 Drawing Figures PATENIED FEB] 1 I975 SHEEI UZUF 11 INVENTOR STANLEY KEssLER A TTOR/VEY PATENIED FEB] 1 I975 SHEET 03 0F 11 l I III If I//// If I 111 11v VEA/TOR STANLEY KESSLER A TTOENE Y PATEHTED FEB] 1 I975 SHEEF 0k 0F 11 FIG. 15.

I ///d a N I V/ w INVENTOR STANLEY KESSLER A Tram/5y PMENTEU 1 I975 73. 866.021

sum user 11 IN l/E/V TOR Z2 57'ANLEY KESSLER KM 06w ATTORNE Y PATENTEB FEB] H915 SHEET LGUF 11 mm Mfi R 55 0 WE n K A M T L PATENTED 1.866021 sum user 11 nWE/v TOR 5m NLEY KESSLER PATENTED 3,866,021

sum user 11 SHEEI 10 0F 11 PATENTED FEB] I I975 PATENTEI] FEB I I I975 SHEET 1101" 11 ELAPSED EVENT RECORDER RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 075,375, filed Sept. 25, 1970, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to recording devices and more particularly to an elapsed event recorder for counting a series of events occurring periodically during random recording periods and at the end of each recording period stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the period.

2. Prior Art Numerous applications exist for an elapsed event printing counter of the general class to which this invention pertains. The elapsed event to be recorded and printed may vary widely from application to application and may be time increments, such as minutes, hours. days, etc., machine operations, quantities of articles, or fluid or gas volumes to mention but a few. An assortment of such elapsed event recorders have been devised. These recorders, however, are special purpose devices which are designed for specific uses and are difficult to adapt to a variety of uses. Such counters suffer from other drawbacks, such as lack of portability, complexity, high cost, lack of tamper-proof construction, lack of automatic zero reset, lack of printout means, and many others. Counters capable of electrically conveying count information require external electrical coding devices for converting the electrical signal into a binary code usable by digital computers. This feature of internal decimal to binary electrical code conversion is incorporated in the invention of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved elapsed event recorder of the class described. In its various embodiments the recorder possesses one or more of the following features: tamper-proof construction, selfinking, hand stamping operation, automatic zero reset at the conclusion of each stamping operation, continuous count accumulation regardless of periodic lapses in the event being recorded, computer input capability in response to interrogation without loss of event count, totalized data print-out, and many others.

The recorder has a housing enclosing a count accumulating register including a set of rotary marking wheels arranged side by side along a common axis. Each wheel is rotatable through a number of sequential marking positions and has marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to the common wheel axes when the wheels occupy marking positions. One end wheel of the wheel set representing the least significant digit of the recorded event count is driven by an input means in response to the successive events being monitored and each successive wheel is driven from the preceding wheel in a manner similar to the wheels of an odometer. The register thus accumulates a count of the events being monitored. Means are provided for effecting movement of the register between a normal recording position and a marking or stamping position. When in marking position, the marking wheels are disposed to stamp on a record card indicia representing the number of events counted during the preceding counting period following the previous stamping operation. During return of the register to normal recording position following each stamping operation, the marking wheels are automatically reset to zero to condition the device to count the events occurring during the next recording period.

In some of its disclosed forms, the input driver for the recorder is a separate external unit with which the recorder is operatively engaged during an event recording period and from which the recorder is removed to stamp an elapsed event count on a record card. Other disclosed embodiments have an input driver contained directly within the recorder.

As in prior elapsed event recorders. the event to be recorded may vary widely from one application to another. Some of the events which may be recorded, for example, are those referred to earlier in the discussion of the prior art elapsed event recorders. The particular recorders disclosed herein are elapsed time recorders, referred to herein in places as elapsed time stamps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the recording unit of an elapsed time recorder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through the recorder showing the recording unit in recording position within an external driving unit;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a reduced section taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. Sis a reduced section taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 5 showing the recording unit in its stamping configuration;

FIG. 8 is a reduced section taken on line 8-8 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a section similar to FIG. 8 showing the recording unit in its zero reset or return mode;

FIG. 10 is a reduced section taken on line 10-10 in FIG. 3 showing the recording unit in its zero reset or return mode;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a modified elapsed time recorder or stamp;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged section taken on line 12-12 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section taken on line 13-13 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a section similar to FIG. 12 showing the recorder in its stamping configuration;

FIG. 15 is a section taken on line 15-15 in FIG. 12;

FIGS. 16-20 illustrate successive positions of a motion translation device of the recorder;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged section taken on line 21-21 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 22 is a reduced section taken on line 22-22 in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged section taken on line 23-23 in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a reduced section taken on line 24-24 in FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a reduced section taken on line 25-25 in FIG. 21;

FIG. 26 is a reduced section taken on line 26-26 in FIG. 21;

FIG. 27 illustrates a modified version of the recorder of FIGS. 11-26.

FIG. 28 illustrates a modified recorder which produces an electrical output representing the marking wheel positions;

FIG. 29 is a section taken on line 29-29 in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a section taken on line 30-30 in FIG. 28;

FIG. 31 is a section taken on line 31-31 in FIG. 28;

FIG. 32 is a section taken on line 32-32 in FIG. 28;

FIG. 33 is a section showing certain parts of the recorder during a stamping operation.

FIG. 34 is a section through a further modified re cording unit according to the invention;

FIG. 35 is a section taken on line 35-35 in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is a section similar to FIG. 35 with the recording unit shown in its stamping configuration;

FIG. 37 through 42 illustrate successive positions of a modified motion translating mechanism which may be used in the recording unit of FIGS. 11 through 26; and

FIG. 43 illustrates a modified latch mechanism which may be used in the recorder of FIG. 27.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning first to FIGS. 1-10, the illustrated elapsed event recorder is an elapsed time recorder or elapsed time stamp including a recording unit 12 and a driving unit 14. The recording unit I2 has an outer housing 16 including telescoping top and bottom telescoping sections 18 and 20. As may be best observed in FIG. 3, the top section 18 fits over the bottom section 20. Within the housing is a spring 22 for urging the sections to their expanded configuration of FIG. 3. Expansion of the housing is limited to this configuration by inter-engaging pins and slots 24 on the housing sections, readout window 26 containing a magnifying lens 28 is provided in the top of the top housing section. In the bottom of the bottom housing section is a printout opening 30.

Within the recorder housing 16 is a count accumulating register 32 including a set of rotary marking wheels 34 disposed side by side on a common axis 36. Marking wheels 34 are supported on a shaft 38 for rotation on the axis 36. Each wheel is rotatable through a number of sequential counting positions and has marking elements 40 spaced about its circumference. When the several wheels occupy their counting positions, these marking elements are aligned in rows parallel to the axis 36.

Removably connected to the right hand end wheel 34 of the printing wheel set, which represents the least significant digit of the accumulated count, are input means 42 for stepping the end wheel from one counting position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded. In the particular elapsed time recorder 10 shown in FIGS. 1-10, the recorded events are time intervals, such as hours, tenths hours and hundredths hours. The adjacent marking wheels 34 are operatively connected by driving means 44 in a manner such that each succeeding wheel, starting with the one adjacent the right hand least significant digit wheel, is stepped from one counting position to the next in response to each full revolution of the preceding wheel.

Operatively connected with the register 32 are actuating means 46 for effecting relative movement of the register between its normal recording position of FIG.

3 and its stamping or marking position of FIG. 7. In its normal recording position, the register is elevated within the recorder housing 16. When the register occupies its marking position, the lower portions of the marking wheels protrude through the bottom printout opening 30 in the housing for stamping contact with a record card 48. During return of the register 32 from its marking position to its normal recording position, the marking wheels 34 are returned to zero positions by zero return means 50.

Briefly, during use of the recorder I0, the register 32 is driven by the driving unit 14 through input means 42 to count selected time increments. Periodically, at random intervals, the recorder actuating means 46 are operated, by placing the recording unit l2 on the record card 48 and depressing the upper housing section 18, to move the register to its marking position for stamping on the record card 48 indicia representing the elapsed time count accumulated during the preceding recording period. A corresponding elapsed time reading is displayed through the window 26. Return of the register to its normal recording position effects return of the marking wheels 34 to zero to condition the recording unit for the next elapsed time count.

Referring now in more detail to the elapsed time recorder, the wheel shaft 38 has reduced ends 52 journalled in the upper section 18 of the recorder housing 16. The shaft thus moves vertically with the upper section. The lower housing section 20 has the clearance slots 24 for permitting this shaft movement. Shaft 38 has spaced cylindrical portions 56 and intervening polygonal portions 58. Each marking wheel 34 has a hub 60 journalled on a cylindrical shaft portion 56 and a cavity 62 in one side surrounding an adjacent polygonal shaft portion 58. Pivotally mounted within this cavity is a drive pawl 64 which is urged against the adjacent polygonal shaft portion 58 by a spring 65. This spring pawl provides a releasable drive connection between the shaft and wheel which effects rotation of the wheel with the shaft so long as the wheel is free to turn and permits the wheel to be arrested while the shaft continues to turn.

The input means 42 for driving the right hand least significant digit wheel 34 of the register 32 comprises an input gear 66 journalled on the shaft 38 at the right hand side of the wheel. Rigid on the left face of this gear is a gear segment 68 having a pair of gear teeth. Once during each revolution of the input gear, the gear segment meshes with a pinion 70 journalled on a shaft 72 parallel to the wheel shaft 38 and having reduced ends 74 slidably fitted within slots 76 in the upper housing section 18. These slots extend radially of the wheel shaft 38 and accommodate movement of the pinion shaft 72 toward and away from the wheel shaft. Pinion 70 meshes with a gear 78 rigid on the right hand face of the right hand marking wheel 34 during each revolution of the input gear 66, its gear segment 68 drives the pinion 70 through a partial revolution and the pinion, in turn, drives the right hand marking wheel 34 through a partial revolution. The input gear, gear segment, pinion, and wheel gear ratios are such that each revelotion of the input gear drives the right hand marking wheel from one counting position to the next.

The wheel driving means 44 which drivably couple each pair of adjacent marking wheels 34 comprises a gear segment 80, similar to input gear segment 68, rigid on the left hand face of each wheel, a gear 82 rigid on the right hand face of the adjacent wheel, and a pinion 84 journalled on the pinion shaft 72 between the wheels. Each pinion 84 meshes with its adjacent wheel gear 82 and is disposed to mesh with its adjacent wheel gear segment 80 once during each revolution of the corresponding marking wheel. The ratios of the gear segments 80, wheel gears 82, and pinions 84 are such that at the conclusion of each full revolution of each marking wheel 34, the latter drives its adjacent left hand marking wheel from one counting position to the next.

Turning to FIG. 2, it will be observed that the driving unit 14 has a housing 86 with a top opening 88. Mounted within the right end of this housing is a clock motor 90 which drives a gear 92. An idler gear 94 mounted on an upstanding bracket 96 on the driver housing 86 meshes with the motor gear 92. When recording an elapsed time interval, the recording unit 12 is inserted into the driver housing through its top opening 88 to the recording position shown. In this recording position, the input gear 66 of the recording unit rests on and meshes with the driver idler gear 94 which projects upwardly through the bottom opening 30 in the recording unit. It is significant to note here that during this elapsed time recording mode wherein the recording unit occupies its recording position in the driving unit, the register 32 of the recording unit occupies its upper recording position of FIG. 3 within the recorder housing 16.

It will now be understood that in the elapsed time recording mode of the illustrated elapsed time recorder, the input gear 66 of the recording unit 12 is driven at a constant speed by the clock motor 90 of the driving unit 14. The output speed of the clock motor and the ratios of the several gears, gear segements, and pinions of the recording and driving units are selected so that the recording unit input gear 66 is driven through one full revolution during each preselected time interval, such as each second, each minute, or each hour. For convenience of description, it will be assumed that the input gear makes one full revolution each l/l00 hour. Each full revolution of the input gear, in turn, effects stepping of the adjacent right hand least significant digit marking wheel 34 through one-tenth of a revolution. Accordingly, the right hand wheel is stepped once each l/lOO hour and makes one full revolution every 1/10 hour. Finally, each full revolution of each marking wheel effects stepping of the following wheel, i.e., the adjacent left hand wheel through one-tenth ofa revolution. Accordingly, each marking wheel following the first or right hand wheel makes one full revolution for each ten revolutions of the preceding wheel.

From this description. it will be understood that the successive marking wheels 34, starting with the right hand least significant digit wheel, are stepped at 0.01 hour, 01 hour, and 1.0 hour intervals, respectively. The successive stepping positions of each marking wheel are its counting positions, referred to earlier. The successive wheels make one full revolution every 0.] hour, 1.0 hour, and hours, respectively.

The marking elements 40 about each marking wheel 34 of the illustrated elapsed time recorder are raised characters formed on a porous ink impregnated plastic band 98 extending about the circumference of the wheel. These raised characters are reversed or mirrorimage representations of the numbers 0 through 9 and are uniformly spaced about the wheel. Imprinted or otherwise produced on each wheel between its raised marking elements 40 are smaller numbers 0 through 9 which are adapted to be read through the magnifying lens 28 of the recording unit 12. For reasons which will 5 appear presently, each smaller number is located approximately opposite the corresponding raised marking element 40.

As noted earlier, the stepping or counting positions of the marking wheels 34 are so relatively oriented that when the wheels occupy such positions, the raised marking elements 40 on the wheels are aligned in rows parallel to the common rotation axis of the wheels. Moreover, in these positions of the wheels, one row of marking elements is located at the bottom of the wheels and faces downwardly toward the lower opening 30 in the recorder housing 16. For convenience in the ensuing description the position occupied by this bottom row of marking elements is referred to as a stamping position. Register 32 is so constructed and arranged that each marking wheel is stepped from one counting position to the next upon stepping of the zero marking element 40 of the preceding wheel into stamping position following each full revolution of the preceding wheel. As will appear presently, the position occupied by each marking wheel when its zero" marking element is in stamping position is the zero position of the wheel.

Returning again to the recording unit 12, it will be recalled that this unit has actuating means 46 for effecting movement of the register 32 between its upper recording position of FIG. 3 and its lower marking position of FIG. 7. In the particular elapsed time recorder shown, this actuating means comprises the upper re corder housing section 18, which is depressible relative to the lower housing section to move the register downwardly from its upper recording position to its lower marking position, and a spring I00 within and acting between the housing sections for urging the latter apart and thereby returning the register to its recording position. Spring 100 has depending arms mounting lower rollers 102 which roll back and forth along the bottom wall of the lower housing section 20 at opposite sides of the bottom housing opening 30 when the upper housing section is depressed and released.

Considering the operation of the elapsed time recorder to this point, and assuming the marking wheels 34 are initially reset to zero positions wherein the zero marking elements 40 on all wheels are located in stamping position at the bottom of the wheels, the recording unit 12 is placed in recording position in the driving unit 14, as shown in FIG. 2. The marking wheels are thereby driven by the driver time clock motor 90 to record elapsed time. The elapsed time recorded during a given recording period is stamped on the record card 48 by removing the recording unit 12 from the driving unit 14 and placing the unit over the card and then depressing the upper section 18 of the recorder housing 16, as shown in FIG. 7. This action drives the marking wheels 34 downwardly to positions wherein the raised marking elements 40 currently in stamping position at the bottom of the wheels press against the card. Being impregnate with ink, the marking elements mark or imprint on the card numbers representing the recorded elapsed time. The upper housing section I8 is then released to permit spring return of this section and the marking wheels 34 to their normal positions of FIG. 3.

As noted earlier, during this spring return of the marking wheels 34 to recording position, the wheels are returned or reset to zero positions by the zero return means 50. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 59, the zero return means 50 comprises zero return gears 104 rotatable on the ends of marking wheel shaft 38 and meshing with zero return rack 106 welded to the end walls of the lower recorder housing section 20. Fixed to the zero return gears are spring pawls 108 which are biased against ratchet wheels 110 rotatable on the wheel shaft 38 just inboard of the gears. Ratchet wheels 110 have radial drive surfaces 112 engageable by the pawls. Pawls I08 and drive surfaces 112 are spaced [20 apart. Rotatable on the wheel shaft 38 inboard of the ratchet wheels are planet gear plates 114. Extending between and joining each ratchet wheel and the adjacent gear plate are shafts 116 mounting planet pinions I18. Planet pinions 118 mesh with sun gear sections I20, hereafter referred to as sun gears, on the wheel shaft 38 and with internal ring gears 122 formed in bracket plates 124 welded to and depending from the top wall of the upper recorder housing section 18.

Zero return means 50 further comprises a pinion gear bracket 126 having annular end plates I28 surrounding the planet gear plates 114 and a beam 130 extending between and rigidly joining the end plates. Projecting radially outward from the end plates diametrically opposite the beam are drums 132 having holes rotatably receiving the pinion gear shaft 72. Projecting radially inward from the end plates directly opposite the arms are fingers 134 which seat against the edges of the planet gear plates 114. These plate edges are recessed to form ramp surfaces 136 terminating in radial shoulders I38. Springs 140 bearing against the pinion shaft 72 urge the latter toward the wheel shaft 38 and, thereby, the pinion bracket lingers 134 against the planet gear plates I14.

When the upper section 18 of the recorder housing 16 is depressed to stamp elapsed time on the record card 48 in the manner explained earlier, the zero return gears I04 roll downwardly along the zero return racks I06, thereby rotating the gears and their spring pawls 108 in the counter-clockwise direction in FIGS. and 7. The pawls then rotate relative to the ratchet wheels 110 which are restrained against rotation in the counter-clockwise direction by engagement of the pinion bracket fingers I34 with shoulders 138 on the planet gear plates 114, as shown in FIG. 8. During this rotation of the pawls 108 relative to the ratchet wheels 110, the pawls travel through approximately 120 from positions of engagement with one set of ratchet wheel drive surfaces I12 to positions of engagement with the following drive surfaces in the direction of pawl rotation. It will now be understood that when the upper recorder housing section 18 is depressed to drive the marking wheels 34 downwardly to stamp the record card 48, the wheels remain stationary about their common rotation axis in the counting positions which they occupy at the conclusion of the elapsed time recording period which ends when the recording unit 12 is removed from the driving unit 14. Accordingly, the wheels stamp the card with the elapsed time of the recording period.

When the upper section 18 of the recorder housing I6 is released to permit spring return of this housing section and the marking wheels 34 to their normal recording positions, the zero return gears 104 roll upwardly along the zero return racks 106. This causes clockwise rotation, as viewed in FIGS. 5 and 7, of the gears and their spring pawls 108. During this clockwise rotation of the pawls, the latter engage the ratchet wheel drive surfaces 112 and rotate the ratchet wheels and thereby the planet gear plates 114 in the clockwise direction through approximately This clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheels and planet gear plates rotates the planet gear shafts I16 about the wheel shaft 38 and causes the planet gears 118 to roll along the internal ring gears 122. The planet gears are thereby driven in counterclockwise rotation on their shafts I16 and drive the wheel shaft 38 in the clockwise direction through the shaft sun gears 120.

Rotation of the planet gear plates "4 in the clockwise direction with the ratchet wheels 110 during up ward spring return of the upper recorder housing section 18 and marking wheels 34 also effects relative movement of the pinion bracket fingers I34 along the plate ramp surfaces 136 from their positions of engagement with the plate drive shoulders 138 to positions of engagement with the outer circumferences of the plates, as shown in FIG. 9. This action earns the pinion bracket 126, and thereby the pinion shaft 72, in the outward direction of the pinion shaft slots 76 in the upper recorder housing section 18. Such outward camming of the pinion shaft 72 retracts the shaft pinions 70, 84 out of meshing engagement with the marking wheel gears 78, 82, 80 and 68, thus permitting the marking wheels 34 and input gear 66 to freely rotate clockwise with the wheel shaft 38. Outward camming of the pinion bracket 126 extends stop lingers 142 on the bracket beam into the paths of rotation of the marking wheel gear segments 68,80. Accordingly, the marking wheels 34 continue to rotate clockwise with the wheel shaft 38 to positions wherein the wheel gear segments 68, 80 engage the pinion bracket stop fingers 142. These wheel positions are their zero positions, referred to earlier. Tab 143 on the interior of wheel 34 insures positioning of the wheel in this zero position. in these zero positions, the zero marking elements 40 of all the marking wheels are located in stamping position at the bottom of the wheels. The angle of rotation of the wheel shaft 38 during spring return of the marking wheels from marking position to their normal counting or recording position is such that all of the marking wheels are returned to their zero positions regardless of the positions of the wheels prior to the zero return action. The slip action of the spring loaded drive pawls 64 of the marking wheels against the wheel shaft 38 permit any wheel to remain stationary in its zero position during continued clockwise rotation of the wheel shaft 38 to the end of its rotary zero return travel.

As noted above, zero return rotation of the wheel shaft 38 results from clockwise rotation of the ratchet wheels 110 and planet gear plates 114 with the zero re turn gears 104. This zero return rotation of the gear plates brings the latter to positions wherein recesses in the plates are again aligned with the pinion bracket fingers 134, as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the pinion shaft 72 and bracket 126 are returned to their normal positions by the shaft springs to condition the recording unit 12 for its next elapsed time recording cycle.

FIGS. 11-26 illustrate a modified elapsed event recorder 200 according to the invention which, like the recorder 10, is an elapsed time recorder or elapsed time stamp. Recorder 200 has a housing 202 including upper and lower telescoping sections 204, 206 which are urged apart to their normal extended positions of FIGS. 11 and 12 by coil springs 208 within the housing. Fixed to the top wall of the upper housing section 204 is a drive frame 210 having depending spaced parallel drive plates 212. Fixed to and rising from the bottom wall of the lower housing section 206, at opposite sides of a bottom printout opening 214 in the latter wall, are a pair of support plates 216. These support plates are disposed between and in spaced parallel relation to the drive plates 212. The upper edges of the support plates have inturned flanges 218 joined to inturned flanges 220 along the upper edges of the lower housing section 206. Seating against the inner surfaces of the support plates 216 are guide plates 222. Guide plates 222 are secured. by guides 224, to the support plates for vertical movement of the guide plates relative to the support plates.

Positioned between the guide plates 222 is a count accumulating register 226 including a frame 228 supported on a pivot shaft 230. The ends of shaft 230 extend rotatably through journal bores in the guide plates 222 and through vertical slots 232 in the support plates 216. Frame 228 includes a pair of tapered, terminally rounded end walls 234 having bores about midway between their ends through which extends the pivot shaft 230 and side walls 236 extending between and joining the end walls along their edges. In the large rounded end of the frame 228 is an opening 238. The frame end walls 234 are fixed firmly to the pivot shaft 230 such that the frame rotates with the shaft. Between the frame end walls 234 are a number of gear plates 240 through which the pivot shaft 230 extends and which are generally uniformly spaced along the shaft, as shown.

Extending through the large end of the register frame 228 is spaced parallel relation to the pivot shaft 230 is a shaft 242. Shaft 242 passes through longitudinal slots 244 in the frame end walls 234 and gear plates 240, whereby the shaft is free to move laterally toward and away from the pivot shaft 230. The ends of shaft 242 project into annular cam grooves 246 in the guide plate 222. As will appear presently, during normal elapsed time recording operation ofthe recorder 200, the register 226 occupies its recording position of FIG. 21, wherein the shaft 242 is located directly above the pivot shaft 230. When stamping an elapsed time on a record card, the register is rotated 180 with the pivot shaft 230 to the marking position of FIG. 14 wherein the shaft 242 is located directly below the pivot shaft. After stamping, the register rotates in the same direction through another I80 back to its recording position. During this rotation of the register, the ends of shaft 242 travel about the cam grooves which are shaped to cam the shaft toward and away from the pivot shaft 230, as explained shortly.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 242 between the gear plates 240 are marking wheels 248 similar to those of the first elapsed time recorder. Thus, each wheel has a hub 250 rotatable on the wheel shaft 242 and a porous ink impregnated band 252 about the wheel circumference formed with raised marking elements 254 representing reversed or mirror images of the numbers 9. These marking elements are uniformly spaced about the marking wheels. Fixed within the hub 250 of each marking wheel are springs 256 which bear against the wheel shaft 242 to frictionally couple the wheel to the shaft. As in the earlier elapsed time recorder, the marking wheels 248 are rotatable through successive counting positions wherein the marking elements 254 are aligned in rows parallel to the common axis of the wheels. When the wheels occupy these counting positions, one row of marking elements are exposed through the register frame opening 238, as shown in FIG. 25. This position of the marking elements is hereafter referred to as a stamping position. It is significant to note in FIG. 25 that the large rounded end of the register frame 228 curves concentrically about the mark ing wheels 248 and that circumferential portions of the wheels protrude through the frame opening 238.

In contrast to the earlier elapsed time recorder of the invention, recorder 200 has an internal drive for the marking wheels 248. This internal wheel drive comprises a timing motor 258 mounted within the small end of the register frame 228. Motor 258 is energized through spring loaded contacts 260 which engage power input terminals 262 on the right hand guide plate 222 in FIG. 12 when the register frame 228 is in recording position. Terminals 262 are connected to an external electrical power source through a plug 264 in the lower recorder housing section 206. When the register frame rotates from recording position to marking position, the contacts 260 move out of engagement with the power terminals 262 to interrupt the electrical power to the timing motor 258.

Rotatable on the right hand end of the marking wheel shaft 242 in FIG. 21 within the register frame 228, is a pulley 266. Trained about this pulley and a smaller pulley 268 on the shaft of timing motor 258 is a bolt 270, whereby pulley 266 is driven in rotation by the motor. Pulley 266 is hollow and contains a centrifugal clutch mechanism 272 (FIG. 23) which normally couples the pulley to an input pinion gear 274 for driving the marking wheels 248. Pinion gear 274 is rotatable on the marking wheel shaft 272 just inboard of the pulley 266 and has a radially slotted drive plate 276 within the pulley. The pulley mounts weighted driving lugs 278 which are urged radially inward by springs 280 to their driving positions of FIG. 23, wherein the lugs engage in the pinion gear drive plate, slots 276 to drivably couple the pulley 266 and pinion gear 274. Excessive rotational speed of the pulley causes the driving lugs 278 to move outwardly from the pinion gear drive plate slots by centrifugal force and against the action of springs 280, this disconnecting the pulley from the pinion gear. The lugs reenter the slots to recouple the pulley to the pinion gear when the pulley speed returns to normal.

Pinion gear 274 drives the right hand or least significant digit marking wheel 248 in FIG. 21 through a gear reduction assembly 282. This gear reduction assembly has a housing 284 formed by a right hand pair of the gear plates 240 and a wall member 286 extending between and joining the plates. The pinion gear 274 projects into the housing 284 and drives a speed reduction gear train 288 within the housing. This gear train includes a geneva mechanism 289 having an output gear 290 mounting two drive pins 292 spaced 90 from each other. During each full revolution of the output gear 290, the gear drive pins 292 engage a geneva gear 293 on the right end of a pinion 294 as seen in FIG. 21, and steps the latter through l. A sector 295 engages the geneva gear 293 between steps to lock pinion 294 against rotation.

Turning to FIGS. 21 and 25, each marking wheel 248 has a cavity in the right side, i.e., the side facing the gear reduction assembly 282, bounded circumferentially by a 20 tooth internal ring gear 296. Each wheel also has a stop member 298 projecting radially outward into the cavity from the central wheel hub 250. In the left side of each marking wheel is a cavity, projecting inwardly from the circumference of which is a double tooth gear segment 300. As shown best in FIG. 21, gear reduction pinion 294 is journalled in the right hand gear plate 240 of the gear reduction housing 284 and has a left end which meshes with the internal ring gear 296 of the adjacent, least significant digit marking wheel 248. Accordingly, stepping of the pinion by the output gear 290 of the gear reduction assembly 282 steps the latter marking wheel in rotation. The ratio between the pinion 294 and the marking wheel ring gear 296 is such that each 180 rotation of the pinion by the output gear 290 steps the marking wheel from one counting position to the next.

As in the earlier elapsed time recorder of the invention, each successive marking wheel 248 of recorder 200, beyond the first, least significant digit wheel, is stepped from one counting position to the next, in the manner of an odometer each time the preceding wheel steps from its counting position 9", wherein the marking element 9" is in stamping position, to the counting position wherein the marking element is in stamping position. This stepping action is effected by pinions 302 which are journalled in the gear plates 240 between the adjacent marking wheels. The left end of each pinion, as the latter is viewed in FIG. 21, meshes with the right internal ring gear 296 in the adjacent wheel. The right end of each pinion is disposed for en gagement by the dual tooth gear segment 300 at the left side of the adjacent marking wheel. Each time a marking wheel 248 steps from its counting position 9" to its counting position 0", the wheel gear segment 300 engages its respective pinion 302 and rotates the latter through 180 to step the following wheel from one counting position to the next.

The elapsed time recorder 200, like the earlier recorder of the invention counts or records selected time intervals, such as hours, 1/10 hours, or 1/100 hours. Assuming the counting interval is 0.01 hours, as before, the speed of the timing motor 258 and the several gear ratios of the recorder are selected to cause one full revolution of the speed reduction output gear 290, which effectively provides an input drive gear for the marking wheels 248, each 0.01 hour. The right hand, least significant digit wheel then makes one full revolution every 0.1 hour (6 minutes) and the remaining wheels make one full revolution every hour and every 10 hours, respectively. Thus, the marking wheels record elapsed time in the same manner as the marking wheels of the earlier recorder. It will be recalled that in the elapsed time recording mode of recorder 200, the register frame 228 occupies its position of FIG. 21. In the position, the timing motor contacts 260 engage the power input terminals 262 to energize the timing motor 258.

The recorder 200 is actuated to stamp elapsed time on a record card 48 by depressing the upper section 204 of the recorder housing 202, as in the earlier recorder. This action first rotates the register 226 on the axis of the pivot shaft 230 from its recording position through and then depresses the register to its marking position of FIG. 14. In this marking position, the marking elements 254 currently in stamping positions, wherein the elements are exposed through the register frame opening 238, are disposed to engage and stamp elapsed time on the record card 48 through the bottom opening 214 in the recorder housing 202, as shown. When the upper recorder housing section 204 is released, the latter section and the register 226 are returned to recording position by the housing return springs 208 and a set of guide plate return springs 303 to be referred to again shortly.

Rotation of the register 226 from its recording position to marking position and return of the register to recording position in response to depression and release of the upper recorder housing section 204 is effected by motion translating means 304. Referring to FIGS. 12 and 15-20, motion translating means 304 comprises the depending drive plates 212 on the upper recorder housing section 204 and three segment gears 306, 308, 310. The right hand drive plate 212 in FIG. 12 has a vertical slot 312 receiving the adjacent end of the pivot shaft 230. Fixed on the left hand end of this shaft, between the left hand drive plate 212 and left hand support plate 216 in FIG. 12, is the segment gear 306. Segment gears 308, 310 are rotatably mounted on the left hand support plate 216 in FIG. 12. The latter gears are yieldably biased to their positions of FIG. 15 by springs 314, 316, respectively. Segment gear 306 has a drive pin 318 which projects into an opening 320 in the adjacent drive plate 212. This opening has an irregular shape defining a lower pin seat 322, a left hand recess 324 bounded along its upper side by an arcuate camming edge 325, an upper pin seat 326, and a right hand recess 328 bounded along its lower side by an arcuate camming edge 330. Pin seats 322, 326 are located in the common plane of the pivot and wheel shafts 230, 242. Segment gear 308 has a projecting pin 332 engaging the edge of the adjacent drive plate 212. Finally segment gear 310 has a projecting drive pin 333 engageable with the drive plate edge and within a notch 334 in the right hand edge of the plate, as explained below.

when the recorder is in its recording configuration of FIG. 15, the drive pin 318 of segment gear 306 engages within the lower drive plate pin seat 322, the drive pin 332 of segment gear 308 engages the lower edge of the adjacent drive plate 212, and the drive pin 333 of segment gear 310 is located in spaced relation below the lower drive plate edge. As noted earlier, in this recording configuration, the register 226 occupies its recording position of FIGS. 21 and 22 and the register timing motor 258 is energized to drive the marking wheels 248 for recording elapsed time. When the upper recorder housing section 204 is depressed to stamp elapsed time on the record card 48, the drive plate 212 in FIG. 15 drives the pin 332 of segment gear 308 downwardly, thereby rotating the latter gear clockwise from its position of FIG. 15, through its position of FIG. 16, to its position of FIG. 17. During this rotation, segment gear 308 meshes with segment gear 306 and rotates the latter, and hence register 226, counterclockwise to the position of FIG. 17. In the course of this rotation. the drive pin 318 on segment 306 moves out of the drive plate pin seat 322 into the left hand drive plate recess 324 and finally engages the left drive plate camming edge 325. Continued depression of the upper recorder housing section 204 now drives the camming edge 325 against the drive pin 318, thereby producing a counterclockwise camming force or torque on the segment gear 306 which rotates the latter to its position of FIG. 18. In this position, which is 180 displaced from the position of FIG. 15, the drive pin 318 of segment gear 306 engages in the upper drive plate pin seat 326 and the register 226 is rotated 180 from its recording position of FIGS. 21, 22. Accordingly, in the current position of the register, the register wheel marking ele ments 254 currently in stamping position, i.e., those elements which are exposed through the register frame opening 238, face downwardly toward the bottom recorder housing opening 214.

During the final portion of the downward depression stroke of the upper housing section 204 to its lower limiting position of FIG. 14, the drive plate 212 in FIGS. 18 and 19 drives the pin 318 on segment gear 306 downwardly to the position of the latter figure, without rotating the gear, and thereby drives the register 226 downwardly to its marking position of FIG. 14. In this marking position, the marking elements 254 currently in marking position engage the record card 48 through the bottom recorder housing opening 214 to stamp on the card indicia representing the elapsed time recorded or accumulated in the register. During this final down ward stamping stroke of the register 226, the register pivot shaft 230 moves downwardly through the slots 232 in the support plates 216 and drives the register guide plates 222 downwardly along the inner surfaces of the support plates against the action of the guide plate return springs 303 which are thereby compressed. When the upper recorder housing section 204 is released after stamping, as described below, springs 303 return the register 226 and guide plates 22 upwardly to the position of FIG. 20 wherein the pivot shaft 230 is again at the upper ends of the support plate slots 232.

It is significant to recall here that rotation of the register 226 from its recording position of FIGS. 21, 22 disengages the timing motor contacts 260 from the power input terminals 262. Accordingly, the timing motor 258 is deenergized during the elapsed time stamping operation and the marking wheels 248 remain stationary in the positions they occupy at the conclusion of the recording cycle which is terminated by initiation of the stamping operation. It is also significant to note that during the above described stamping operation. the drive plate 212 in FIGS. l-20 is forced downwardly between the drive pins 332, 333 on segment gears 308, 3) in such a way that the pins engage and undergo upward relative movement along the vertical side edges of the plate to the final position of FIG. 19. In this final position, the drive pin 333 on segment gear 310 enters the slot 334 in the adjacent drive plate edge under the bias force of its spring 316.

When the upper recorder housing section 204 is released after stamping elapsed time on the record card 48, the currently compressed housing springs 208 and guide plate return springs 303 return the drive plates 212, guide plates 222, and register 226 upwardly to the initial position of FIG. 20. During this initial upward return travel of the parts, the bottom edge of the drive plate slot 334 drives the pin 333 on the segment gear 310 upwardly, thereby rotating the gear clockwise from its position of FIG. 19 to its position of FIG. 20. In the course of this rotation, the segment gear 310 meshes with the segment gear 306 and rotates the latter, and hence the register 226, counterclockwise. This rotation causes movement of the segment gear pin 318 from the lower drive plate pin seat 322 into the right hand drive plate recess 328, as shown.

Upon reaching the position of FIG. 20, upward travel of the register 226 is arrested by engagement of the pivot shaft 230 with the upper ends of the support plate slots 232. Continued upward return travel of the drive plates 212 with the upper recorder housing section 204 to their normal position of FIG. 12 causes the right hand drive plate camming edge 330 to drive the pin 318 on segment gear 306 upwardly and cam the pin. and hence gear and register 226, in counterclockwise rotation back to the initial or normal position of FIG. 15, wherein the pin again engages in the lower drive plate pin seat 322 and the register again occupies its recording position of FIGS. 21, 22. The timing motor 258 is then reenergized to commence the next elapsed time recording cycle.

Recorder 200 is equipped with zero return means 336 for resetting the register marking wheels 248 to zero positions, wherein the zero marking elements 254 are in stamping position, during return of the register 226 from its marking position of FIG. 14 to its recording position of FIGS. 21, 22. Zero return means 336 comprise the guide plate cam grooves 246, referred to earlier. Turning to FIG. 26, it will be seen that these grooves have a first I portion 246a at one radial distance from the axis of the pivot shaft 230 and a second portion 24617 at a lesser radial distance from the shaft axis. During the initial 180 rotation of the register 226 from its recording position of FIGS. 21, 22 to its marking position, in the course of the stamping operation just explained, the ends of the marking wheel shaft 242 travel along the larger radius cam groove portions 246a and the shaft is thereby retained at one radial distance from the pivot shaft 230. During the final 180 return rotation of the register from its marking position back to its recording position, the wheel shaft ends travel along the smaller radius cam groove portions 246b, and the wheel shaft is retained at a lesser radial distance from the pivot shaft. In this regard, it is significant to recall that the slots 244 in the register housing 228 and gear plates 240 accommodate this movement of the wheel shaft toward and away from the pivot shaft.

When the marking wheel shaft 242 is at its greater radial distance from the pivot shaft 230, as determined by the cam groove portions 2460. the marking wheel drive pinions 294, 302 mesh with the wheel internal ring gears 296, thus conditioning the register to record elapsed time in the manner explained earlier. Inward movement of the wheel shaft 242 to its lesser radial distance from the pivot shaft 230 upon entering the cam groove portions 246b during return rotation of the register 226 from its marking position to its recording position shifts the marking wheels 248 inwardly toward the pivot shaft relative to the wheel drive pinions 294, 302, thereby disengaging the wheel ring gears 296 from these pinions. This action releases the marking wheels for independent rotation.

Fixed on the ends of the marking wheel shaft 242, just inboard of the register guide plates 222, are gears 338. Fixed to the inner sides of the guide plates are segment gears 340 having a 180 run of gear teeth along the gear sides adjacent the smaller radius cam groove portions 246b. During travel of the wheel shaft 242 along the cam groove portions 2460, the wheel shaft gears 338 do not mesh with the guide plate segment gears 340 so that the shaft remains stationary on its own axis of rotation. On the other hand, during travel of the wheel shaft along the cam groove portions 246b, the shaft gears mesh with the segment gears. Accordingly, the wheel shaft 242 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 26 during return rotation of the register 226 from marking position back to recording position at the conclusion of the elapsed time stamping operation.

As noted earlier, the marking wheels 248 are frictionally coupled to the wheel shaft by the springs 256, and are released to turn independently during return rotation of the register 226 to recording position. Accordingly, during this return rotation, the wheels rotate clockwise with the wheel shaft 242 when it is then driven in this direction by the gears 338, 340.

It will also be recalled from the earlier description that each marking wheel 248 has a projecting finger 298. When the wheel shaft 242 is shifted inwardly toward the pivot shaft 230 during return rotation of the register 226 to recording position, the circular paths of rotation of the wheel fingers are moved inwardly to positions wherein these paths intersect bent flange-like stops 342 on the register gear plates 240. Accordingly, during return rotation of the register 226 from marking position to recording position at the conclusion of an elapsed time stamping operation, the register marking wheels 248 rotate clockwise with the wheel shaft 242 until the wheel fingers 298 engage the plate stops 342. The wheels are then arrested in positions which are their zero positions referred to earlier. The total angle of rotation of the wheel shaft 242 is sufficient to return all of the marking wheels to zero positions. Any wheel which arrives at zero position before completion of the zero return rotation of the shaft merely slips on the shaft.

FIG. 27 illustrates an externally driven version of the elapsed time recorder 200. The externally driven recorder 400 of FIG. 27 has a recording unit 402 which is identical to that just described except that the pulley which is part of the centrifugal clutch timing motor and timing belt of the latter recorder is replaced. in the recording unit 400, by a large gear 404 rigidly attached to the centrifugal clutch and an idler pinion 406. Recorder 400 also has an external driving unit 408. This driving unit has a housing 410 with a top opening through which the recording unit 402 may be inserted to the position shown. When thus inserting the recording unit, its upper housing section 204 is partially depressed to rotate the register 226 to the position illustrated wherein the idler pinion 406 meshes with a large idler gear 412 in the driving unit. This latter idler gear is rotatably mounted on one end ofa centrally pivoted, spring loaded arm 414 in the bottom of the driver housing 410. Idler gear 4I2 meshes with a large driver gear 416 driven by a timing motor 418. A latch mechanism 420 is provided for releasably locking the recording unit 402 in its partially compressed configuration in the driving unit.

The operation of the elapsed time recorder 400 is essentially the same as that of the recorder 200 except that the register marking wheels are driven to record elapsed time by the external timing motor 418. When it is desired to stamp a recorded elapsed time on a record card, the recording unit 402 is removed from the driving unit 410 by releasing the latch mechanism 420 and the recording unit is actuated through its stamping and return strokes in the same manner as recorder 200.

FIGS. 28-32 illustrate a modified elapsed event recorder 500 according to the invention which. like recorder 200, is an elapsed time recorder or elapsed time stamp and which produces an electrical output representing elapsed time as well as a visual elapsed time readout as does recorder 200. Recorder 500 is essentially identical in construction and operation to the elapsed time recorder 200 except for the modifications described below which adapt the recorder 500 to provide an electrical output representing elapsed time.

In the recorder 500, the gear plates 504 mount electrical contacts 526, 528, 518, 520, 5220, and the marking wheels 506 carry contacts 534 and 536 which are engagable, in a predetermined sequence to be explained presently, with the contacts 5l8, 520, 526, and 528 so as to form multipole switches. Electrical impulses are brought into the recorder by a wire con nected to one contact 546, hereafter referred as an input contact, on a collector plate 508 rigidly affixed to the right hand inner surface of the lower housing Sl2. Contacts 542 on a distributor plate 510 rigidly affixed to the right end of the hollow gear plate pivot shaft 514 engage the collector plate contacts 546 when the recording register S02 is in its recording position of FIG. 28. Wires 516 extending through the pivot shaft connect the distributor plate contacts 542 to the gear plate contacts 518, 520, S22, 526. 528, respectively. In other words, each distributor plate contact 542 is connected by a wire 516 to a particular gear plate contact 518, 520, 522, 526, and 528.

As will be shown, the gear plate contacts 518, 520, 526, 528 and marking wheel contacts 534 constitute multipole electrical switches which are made to close in discrete combinations to encode the decimal marking elements on the marking wheels 506 into binary symbols. This binary code can thus be utilized to signal to any electrical or electronic bistable device, such as a digital computer, the elapsed time interval stored in the elapsed time register prior to and without requiring stamping the indicia on a card as previously described.

As in the previously described elapsed time stamp 200, the gear plate 504 is rigidly affixed to the hollow pivot shaft 514 in spaced parallel relation. Turning to FIGS. 28 and 29, each gear plate 504 has two electrically conductive contact strips 521a, 52th and an annular multipole electrical conductor S22 rigidly affixed to the left hand side of the electrically insulative substrate 524 and two electrically conductive contact strips 521C and 521d rigidly affixed to the right hand face of the insulating substrate. Wires 516 are connected to these contact strips and the latter are con nected to the gear plate contacts 518, 520, 522, 526. and 528, as shown, such that the wires are connected through the strips to the plate contacts.

Electrically conductive marking wheels 506 are journalled on an electrically insulative shaft 530 and contained between gear plates 504 as previously described in recorder 200 of this invention. Selectively spaced around the left and right faces of each marking wheel rim 532 in FIG. 30, are electrically conductive spring loaded contact pins 534. A similar spring loaded contact pin 536 is located in the right hand hub of each marking wheel. The contact pins of each marking wheel are spring loaded against the adjacent gear plates 

1. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, said recorder having separating recording and driving units and comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in reponse to occurrence of each event to be recorded, said input means comprising a rotary input member, means drivably connecting said input member and said end wheel for stepping the latter wheel through its positions in response to rotation of said input member, and a motor for driving said input member, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position, said recording unit including said housing, register, input means, driving means, actuating means, and zero return means, said driving unit including a housing containing said motor, a rotary driving member driven by said motor, and means in said driving unit housing for receiving said recording unit in driving position wherein said input member engages and is driven by said driving member, and said recording unit being removed from said driving unit to stamp said record card.
 2. A recorder according to claim 1 wherein: said housing comprises telescoping sections, spring means for yieldably urging said housing to its expanded configuration, and said actuating means comprise means operatively connected to said housing sections for moving said register to marking position upon contraction of said housing and returning said register to recording position upon expansion of said housing.
 3. A recorder according to claim 1 wherein: said register undergoes translation between said recording and marking positions along a direction line normal to said common axis and the plane of said opening.
 4. A recorder according to claim 1 wherein: said register undergoes rotation between said recording and marking positions about an axis parallel to and spaced laterally from said common axis.
 5. A recorder according to claim 1 wherein: said recorder is an elapsed time recorder, and said input means comprises a rotary inPut member, means drivably connecting said input member and said end wheel for stepping the latter wheel through the positions in response to rotation of said inpput member, and a timing motor for driving said input member in rotation at a constant speed.
 6. A recorder according to claim 1 wherein: said motor is mounted on said register for movement with said register between said recording and marking positions.
 7. A recorder according to claim 6 wherein: said motor is an electrical motor, and said recorder includes an energizing circuit for energizing said motor from an external power source, and means for interrupting said energizing circuit in response to movement of said register from recording position to marking position.
 8. A recorder according to claim 1 including: latch means for releasibly latching said recording unit in said driving unit.
 9. A recorder according to claim 8 wherein: said latch means comprises a latch member engagable with said recording unit, and latch release means for releasibly holding said latch member in and releasing said latch member from latching engagement with said recording unit.
 10. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccuring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a commmon axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position, zero return means for returning said wheels to zero positions in response to return of said register from marking position to recording position, and said zero return means comprising means for disengaging said wheel driving means from said marking wheels to permit independent rotation of said wheels, means for rotating said shaft in a given direction through an angle sufficient to return all wheels to zero position, and means for arresting each wheel in zero position.
 11. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and a rotary shaft rotatably supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, means frictionally coupling each marking wheel to said shaft, each wheel being rotaTable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, actuating means for effecting relative translation of said register from a normal recording position in said housing to marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, all in a manner such that translational movement of register occurs along a direction line normal to said common axis and the plane of said printout opening, zero return means for returning said wheels to zero positions in response to return of said register from marking position to recording position, said zero return means comprising means for disengaging said wheel driving means from said marking wheels to permit independent rotation of said wheels, means for rotating said shaft in a given direction through an angle sufficient to return all wheels to zero position, and means for arresting each wheel in zero position, said marking elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated even count, and said shaft rotating means comprising a rack on said housing parallel to said direction line, a gear rotatable on said shaft and meshing with said rack, whereby said gear rolls in one direction along said rack and thereby rotates in one direction of said shaft during movement of said register from recording position to marking position, and said gear rolls in the opposite direction along said rack and thereby rotates in the opposite direction of said shaft during return movement of said register from marking position to recording position, and one way drive means connecting said shaft and gear, whereby said gear rotates in said one direction without turning said shaft and rotation of said gear in said opposite direction drives said shaft in said given direction to return said marking wheels to zero position.
 12. A recorder according to claim 11, wherein: said housing has telescoping upper and lower sections and springs for urging said sections apart, said opening is in the bottom wall of said lower section, said rack is fixed to said lower section, said shaft is mounted on said upper section, and said register is moved from recording position to marking position by depressing said upper section and from marking position to recording position in response to spring return of said upper section when the latter is released.
 13. A recorder according to claim 12 wherein: said input means comprises a rotary input member and means connecting said input member and said end wheel whereby rotation of said input member steps said end wheel through said counting position, and a driving unit for said recorder including a motor and means for releasably drivably coupling said input member to said motor.
 14. A recorder according to claim 13, wherein: said wheel supporting means comprises a rotary shaft on which said marking wheels are rotatably mounted side by side and means supporting said shaft for lateral translation along a circular path about a pivot axis parallel to and spaced from said shaft, whereby said register is movable between said recording and marking positions by rotation about said pivot axis, means frictionally coupling each wheel to said shaft, and said zero return means comprises means for dIsengaging said wheel driving means from said marking wheels to permit independent rotation of said wheels, means for rotating said shaft in a given direction through an angle sufficient to return all wheels to zero position, and means for arresting each wheel in zero position.
 15. A recorder according to claim 14, wherein: said wheel shaft rotating means comprises a gear on said housing about said pivot axis, a gear fixed on said wheel shaft, and means for effecting meshing engagement of said latter gears during rotation of said register from marking position to recording position.
 16. A recorder according to claim 15 wherein: said means for effecting meshing engagement of said zero return gears comprises annular cam means on said housing about said pivot axis engaging said wheel shaft for moving said shaft radially toward and away from said pivot axis.
 17. A recorder according to claim 14, wherein: said means for drivably coupling said marking wheels comprises said pinion gear mounted on said gear plates which plates have slots for permitting movement of said wheel shaft radially toward and away from said pivot axis to engage and disengage said internal gear of said marking wheel from said pinion gear.
 18. A recorder according to claim 14, wherein: said rotation of said register is said unidirectional orbital motion provided by said reciprocating motion of said drive plates rigidly affixed to said upper housing.
 19. A recorder according to claim 18, wherein: said means for rotating said register between said recording and marking positions comprises said drive plates with said camming surfaces acting upon said pin in said pivot shaft segment gear which is brought into drive plate camming contact by said segment gear rotatable on said support plate and contacted by said drive plate and said secondary segment gear rotatable on said support plate and contacted by said drive plate engages said pivot shaft segment gear to bring it into position for contact of said pivot shaft segment gear pin with said camming surface of said drive plate.
 20. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position, coding means for producing a coded electrical signal representing said current accumulated event count comprising an input terminal for receiving an electrical input pulse, a nUmber of output terminals, wheel position coding electrical contact means for said wheels connected in electrical circuit with said terminals and arranged to open and close in a predetermined sequence as said wheels rotate to connect said input terminal to said output terminals in various combinations representing the positions of said wheels, and additional make and break contact means for each wheel which interrupt the electrical circuit between said input and output terminals through the coding contact means for the respective wheel as the latter rotates from one position to the next whereby in any given positions of said wheels an input pulse applied to said input terminal will appear at predetermined output terminals representing the wheel positions.
 21. A recorder according to claim 20, wherein: said coding means include additional contact means in said housing and register, respectively, connected in circuit with said terminals, respectively, which close in said recording position of said register to condition said signal producing means for operation and open upon movement of said register to marking position to inactivate said signal producing means.
 22. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals, comprising: a housing, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary counting wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, and coding means for producing a coded electrical signal representing the accumulated count in said register, said coding means comprising an input terminal for receiving an electrical input pulse, a number of output terminals, wheel position coding electrical contact means for said wheels connected in electrical circuit with said terminals and arranged to open and close in a predetermined combination as said wheels rotate to connect said input terminal to said output terminals in various combinations representing said accumulated count, whereby in any given positions of said wheels an input pulse applied to said input terminal will appear at predetermined output terminals representing said accumulated count, and additional make and break contact means for each wheel which interrupt the electrical circuit between said input and output terminals through the coding contact means for the respective wheel as the latter rotates from one position to the next.
 23. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals, comprising: a housing, a decimal count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary decimal counting wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, electrical decimal to binary code conversion means including said register wheels for converting the accumulated decimal count in said regisTer to a binary coded electrical output representing said decimal counts in binary code form, said code conversion means further including an input terminal for receiving an electrical input pulse, a number of output terminals, and contact means on said wheels connected in electrical circuit with said terminals and arranged to open and close in predetermined sequence as said wheels rotate to connect said input terminal to said output terminals in various combinations representing in binary code form the accumulated decimal count in said register, whereby an input pulse applied to said input terminal will appear at the output terminals in binary form representing the accumulated decimal count value contained within said register, and said code conversion means further including additional make and break contact means for each wheel which interrupt the electrical circuit between said input and output terminals through the coding contact means for the respective wheel as the latter rotates from one position to the next so as to prevent a falsely coded signal at said output terminals when the respective wheel is in some intermediate counting position.
 24. A recorder according to claim 23, wherein: said housing has a printout opening, said recorder includes actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said housing to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, and said coding means include additional contact means in said housing and register, respectively, connected in circuit with said terminals, respectively, which close in said recording position of said register to condition said signal producing means for operation and open upon movement of said register to marking position to inactivate said signal producing means.
 25. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, said marking wheels having raised printing elements about their circumference, inking roller means for applying ink to said printing elements during recording rotation of said marking wheels, means for retracting said roller means clear of said marking wheels in response to movement of said register to marking position and returning said roller means against said marking wheels in response to return of said register to recording position, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, and actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said eLements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position.
 26. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each countint interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, said register undergoing rotation between said recording and marking positions about an axis parallel to and spaced laterally from said common axis, each wheel being rotatably through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, and actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said actuating means comprising top and bottom telescoping sections of said housing which are adapted to be telescoped to contracted positions to move said register from recording position to marking position and to be extended to move said register from marking position to recording position, a segment gear fixed to said register, and spring biased segment gear means on one of said housing sections for meshing with said register gear to rotate said register in one direction from recording position to marking position in response to contraction of said housing sections and in the same direction from said marking position to said recording position in response to extension of said housing sections, said elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position.
 27. An elapsed event recorder for counting a series of reoccurring events during random counting intervals and at the end of each counting interval stamping on a record card indicia representing the number of events occurring during the interval, comprising: a housing having a printout opening, a count accumulating register within said housing including a set of rotary marking wheels disposed side by side on a common axis, and means supporting said wheels in said housing for rotation on said axis, said register undergoing rotation between said recording and marking positions about an axis parallel to and spaced laterally from said common axis, each wheel being rotatable through a number of successive counting positions and having marking elements spaced about its circumference in a manner such that the marking elements on the several wheels are aligned in rows parallel to said axis when said wheels occupy counting positions, input means drivably coupled to one end wheel of said wheel set for stepping said end wheel from one position to the next in response to occurrence of each event to be recorded, driving means connecting the adjacent wheels in a manner such that each wheel other than said end wheel is Stepped from one position to the next in response to each full revolution of the adjacent wheel in the direction of said end wheel, and actuating means for effecting relative movement of said register away from said opening to a normal recording position in said housing and toward said opening to a marking position wherein a row of marking elements on said wheels are disposed within said opening for contact with a record card positioned opposite the opening, said actuating means comprising top and bottom telescoping sections of said housing which are adapted to be telescoped to contracted positions to move said register from recording position to marking position and to be extended to move said register from marking position to recording position, a segment gear fixed to said register, and cam actuated segment gear means on one of said housing sections for meshing with said register gear to rotate said register in one direction from recording position to marking position in response to contraction of said housing sections and in the same direction from said marking position to said recording position in response to extension of said housing sections, said elements being arranged to stamp on said record card indicia representing the current accumulated event count in response to movement of said register to marking position. 